Authorship & Contributorship Criteria
Linguistics Initiative adheres strictly to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) authorship guidelines and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) standards to ensure transparency, accountability, and fairness in scientific attribution.
1. Criteria for Authorship
To qualify as an author, each listed individual must have made substantial contributions to the work by meeting all four (4) of the following criteria:
- Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the study, or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of linguistic data; AND
- Drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
- Final approval of the version to be published; AND
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
2. Non-Author Contributors (Acknowledgments)
Individuals who provided technical assistance, language polishing, general supervision, or financial support but do not meet all four authorship criteria must not be listed as authors. They should be formally acknowledged in the Acknowledgments section with their permission.
3. Ghost, Guest, and Gift Authorship
Linguistics Initiative strictly prohibits:
- Ghost Authorship: Omitting individuals who contributed significantly to the research or writing.
- Gift/Guest Authorship: Including individuals who made no significant contribution (e.g., senior academics, department heads) solely to increase prestige.
4. Corresponding Author Responsibilities
The Corresponding Author acts as the primary contact between the journal and all co-authors during peer review, revision, and publication. The Corresponding Author warrants that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the submitted version and any subsequent revisions.
